
Jan 30, 2023, 6:49pm · ☀️ 27 °C Altitude: 1,093 m
ChileRegión de la AraucaníaPuichipehuenco38°33’6” S 71°8’5” W
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Life on the farm

The past few days has seen us settle into the routine. Now know all the dogs names and how many scoops of food they each get without referring to the list, and getting to know their personalities more. Timid Wanda - Doug's special project, is now happy and excited to see us. Pylocke with her sweet little face does a funny bunnyhop jump. Kira with her both front paws up jump when we go to feed her like shes praying. Tony who had a broken back leg when he was younger, but had just so much detemined and ran so hard when I took him for a canicross run but spent the rest of day without putting any weight on his bung leg. Fritz who must be the fastest to eat his food. Pep who sits up on the fence waiting for his bowl. And the big Queen B - Hera, the wolfdog who is such a softee and just loves a good tummy scratch. The last few days have been extremely hot, even to hot to do an evening canicross run with them. We normally let 4 - 6 dogs off after dinner for them to have a run around the section, which initially is just crazy with them running around and the other dogs all barking wanting to be let of also. I find it really hard leaving them tied up, like when you go down to get the dog you have choosen for a canicross run and they all look at you hoping they are going to be the choosen one, but that is life with working dogs. Also last Friday, there were 4 more mouths to be fed, with the cat giving birth to another lot of kittens, much to Luis annoyance (sounds like she is constantly pregnant) but very cute for us. Yesterday (Monday) we got up early and walked to the bus stop we thought the bus came about 7.10, but that bus driver said he went in the wrong direction and too wait for the next one (well thats what Doug gathered), and at 7.45 the one to Lonquimay came. The return bus wasn't until 2.45 pm so we had a bit of time to fill in so decided to walk the 7 kms to a waterfall. It was a beautiful waterfall and even though it wasn't that warm because it wasn't fully in the sun yet, and quite a wind blowing off it, I couldn't resist going in for a swim - Doug decided to just be the photographer. After spotting a Sceloporus malachiticus, the emerald swift or green spiny lizard and getting a few photos before it scuttled away, it was time to head back into town. By the end of the 7 kms even Doug was now wishing for the waterfall pool for a swim, instead did the next best thing for that time of day and found some lunch, which wasn't easy - not cafes or lunchbars, eventually found a small restaurant fill of locals eating but didn't have any signage on the outside and no menu but manage to find out they had chicken and chips so ordered 2 of those. Then we had to find a supermarket that was not closed for siesta, again we didn't factor that into our days planning. The one opposite the bus station was opened and we did a big stock up of food, while Doug was there to help me carry it all. It was then onto the bus and back to the farm for feeding time and for Doug to pack.
Tue 31 Jan: After 6 months of being constantly in each others company, Doug and I said our goodbyes this morning, as he headed into Lonquimay to start his journey home. Luis was also going to Santiago on the bus tonight to pick up his 5 year old daughter and then to travel to Puerto Natales for a big 55 km running race this weekend, so it will be me and Samantha holding down the fort for the next week - party time - yeah nah! Luis had arranged a lift into Lonquimay with one of his neighbours for the two of them for 9 am, then they have to hang around until about 7 pm for their overnight bus to Santiago. That will get into Santiago around 6am and then Doug has to wait until midnight for his 12 hr flight to Auckland - its going be a long 3 days for him. He then has a couple of days rushing around home getting things sorted before driving back to Auckland to met his 15 Danish relatives who are flying in and then along with his brother they are all touring around the top half of the north Island for two and a half weeks in campervans. So an extremely busy time for him, while I play with the doggies. He then arrives back to Santiago on the 22nd Feb, and if I can cope with another week or so on the farm will join me back down here. Since my days will now be pretty much the same same, and I am unable to download photos, this will probably be the last report until then.
Wed 1 Feb: Well not quite the last post yet, was hoping to include a video of me running with Kera that Luis took but having trouble reducing the size for posting without the laptop now so that will have to wait. In the meantime our first night in charge last night and we lost a dog. We let 4 loose after dinner for a bit of free time in the section while we watched, then one of the others, Bruce, decided he wanted free time and broke his collar so we sorting him a new collar, then a short while later we realised there was only 4 dogs running around. Roger, the husky with the "painted on ears" had escaped - we still can't work out where, there was a known escape route through the stream under the fence but Doug had done a dog-proofing job on that on our first day. So anyway 3 hrs going up and down the road, and up the hill behind us and no signs. Poor Luis was stressing on the bus, and worried he would kill a neighbours sheep. About 10:30pm with it to dark now to see we gave up and just had an unsettled night every time the dogs barked going out to see if he was back. This morning I got up and took Kali for a canicross run, we had justed turned out of the driveway and started along the road when next minute Roger comes running passed. We stopped and he came up to Kali, but wouldn't let me get near. Next minute he is running back down the road in the other direction chasing a rabbit. We followed but I could not see him, luckily Kali did, well buried down a large rabbit hole. He wouldn't come out so I took Kali back to the house and got a handful of dog biscuits. He was out of the hole and came to me when I held out the biscuits. Whew - lead on and back to the house. And strict instructions to not let him loose again. And apparently no bad news has been received from any of the neighbours. So I thought we had a bad night but this morning I heard from Doug, and he wins for the worst night. After waiting all day he goes to board the bus to take him to Santiago only to find out his ticket was for the previous night, and his flight back to NZ was for midnight Tuesday, not midnight Wednesday and the next available direct flight is the 12th. What a nightmare - with a lot of searching and cost he may have a flight leaving tonight going via Mexico City, LA and Sydney arriving in Auckland on Saturday - I thought three days of travelling would be tough, now it will be five. Hopefully the time with his relatives will be worth all the effort he has gone too - although it sounds like the kiwi summer might put a dampener on plans too.Read more